Step aside pie, there's a new pumpkin dessert in town! This delicious Pumpkin Tres Leches is an almond flour keto pumpkin cake soaked in milk and then topped with whipped cream. Enjoy this tasty seasonal twist on classic tres leches!
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This recipe is perfect for any fall occasion. Don't let the fact that it is low carb dissuade you from serving it to guests! This cake is a winner with keto and non-keto folks alike.
This recipe was inspired by my traditional keto tres leches which is one of my all-time favorite desserts! The pumpkin flavor obviously lends itself to all the typical Thanksgiving fare so be sure to check out my Thanksgiving Menu as well!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pumpkin Puree
- 3 Eggs
- Butter
- Brown Sugar Substitute - I used Lakanto Golden (affiliate link) use code "THISMOMSMENU" for 10% off!
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Flour
- Low Carb Vanilla Protein Powder - Adding protein powder to this cake improves the texture. If you don't have any or don't want to use it you can substitute it with a tablespoon of coconut flour.
- Salt
- Baking Powder
- Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Canned coconut milk - You can swap the coconut milk with heavy cream if desired
- Unsweetened Almond Milk - Any milk variety or milk alternative will work fine in place of the almond milk.
- Sugar Free Maple Syrup - I used Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup (affiliate link) use code "THISMOMSMENU" for 10% off!
- Heavy Whipping Cream
- Powdered Sugar Substitute or sweetener of choice
- Xanthan Gum - This is my trick for keeping whipped cream stable and perfect for frosting cakes. The whipped cream will stay perfect on this cake for about 5 days when you use Xanthan Gum! If you don't have it or don't want to use it, it's fine to skip - but I recommend waiting to make the whipped cream until just before serving the cake.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
This cake is fairly simple to make and best of all it is SUPER easy to decorate - which is my kind of kind honestly 😉
Start out by preheating your oven and greasing an 8 or 9-inch cake pan with non-stick spray
Hint: Nothing is worse than baking a delicious cake, only to have it get stuck in the pan, and sometimes this happens no matter how well you grease the pan! I recommend investing in parchment rounds (affiliate) and lining your pan with one, in addition to greasing, to ensure that your cake doesn't stick!
In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, butter, sugar substitute, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and the sweetener has begun to melt, then set aside
Next, in a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, protein powder, salt, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix to combine.
Add half of the almond flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Stir until well combined, then repeat with the remaining almond flour mixture.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer.
Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Hint: For this particular cake, it is better to slightly overcook it vs. undercook. You actually want to cake to be slightly on the dry side so that it will absorb the milk. If you are in doubt over whether it is finished baking, keep it in the oven for a few extra minutes (as long as it's not burning)
Allow the cake to cool for at least 15 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto your serving plate.
While the cake is cooling, mix together the coconut milk, almond milk, and maple syrup in a measuring cup or small bowl.
Using a fork, poke holes all over the surface of the cake.
Slowly and evenly, pour the milk mixture over the cake Pausing occasionally to allow the cake to absorb the liquid.
Allow the cake to fully cool in the fridge.
While the cake is chilling, prepare the whipped cream topping. Combine all the ingredients for the topping in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture has at least doubled in size.
Hint: As mentioned above, if you are skipping the Xanthan Gum then I recommend waiting to make the topping until just before serving. I also wouldn't frost the entire cake unless it's all going to be eaten within a day or two. Fresh whipped cream has a tendency to fall and get weepy after sitting for a bit but the xanthan gum stabilizes it and prevents this from happening.
Once the cake has completely cooled, spread the whipped cream on top, sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice if desired, and enjoy!
Other Keto Pumpkin Recipes
If you've spent much time here, you may have noticed that I tend to get a little pumpkin obsessed. Here are some of my other keto pumpkin recipes:
- Low Carb Pumpkin Pie - This includes my delicious keto crust, but you can also make it crustless!
- Keto Pumpkin Scones
- Triple Layer Pumpkin Dessert - three layers of absolute heaven
- Keto Pumpkin Ice Cream - The perfect way to enjoy fall, even if the weather isn't cooperating
- Keto Pumpkin Waffles
- Low Carb Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins - Pumpkin for breakfast, need I say more?
- The Best Roasted Pumpkin Seeds - Make them sweet or salty, these are the perfect low carb snack!
- Keto Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Equipment
This recipe requires pretty typical equipment used for just about any cake. You will need:
- Mixing bowls (a large, medium, and small)
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rubber spatula
- An electric mixer
- 8 or 9-inch cake pan
As I mentioned above, I also suggest using a parchment round (affiliate) to line your pan and ensure that your cake doesn't stick.
Storage
This cake will keep well in the fridge for up to 5 days. I suggest loosely covering the cake with foil or placing it in a cake stand with a dome lid.
You can freeze the cake before adding the milk and whipped cream, but once fully assembled, I do not recommend freezing this cake.
FAQs
Tres leches translates to 'three milks' in Spanish. Typically tres leches is made from a sponge cake that is saturated with a mixture of whole milk, evaporated milk, and condensed milk. Over time, the cake soaks up all of the milk, and the texture becomes super soft and almost like a custard.
You can find more info on the history of Tres Leches cake as well as an authentic recipe here!
No. Unfortunately, this cake will not work with coconut flour. You can try swapping the cake in this recipe with the "bread" portion of this keto pumpkin cake that is made with coconut flour. Please note that I have not tried this myself so I can not guarantee the outcome.
Yes! Pumpkin is a low-carb vegetable with less than 5 net carbs per half-cup serving. It is also loaded with fiber and is a great way to prevent keto baked goods from being dry.
Since this recipe does not use an entire can of pumpkin puree, you may be wondering what you can do with the rest.
Pumpkin puree freezes really well. I usually freeze it in quarter cup portions to ensure that I always have just the right amount. You can also check out any of the recipes I listed above or if you are sick of pumpkin spice everything, check out my fudgy keto brownies that use pumpkin in a deceptive way!
Top tip
For this cake, it is better to slightly overcook it vs. undercook. You actually want to cake to be a little on the dry side so that it will absorb the milk. If you are in doubt over whether it is finished baking, keep it in the oven for a few extra minutes (as long as it's not burning)
📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake | Keto
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 9 inch round cake pan
- Electric Mixer
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Pumpkin Puree
- 3 Eggs
- ¼ cup Butter softened
- ½ cup Brown Sugar Substitute or sweetener of choice
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1 ¼ cup Almond Flour
- ¼ cup Low Carb Vanilla Protein Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ½ cup canned coconut milk
- ½ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
- 3 tablespoon Sugar Free Maple Syrup
For Whipped Cream Topping:
- ½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3 tablespoon Powdered Sugar Substitute or sweetener of choice
- ½ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ½ teaspoon Xanthan Gum optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° F and grease a 9-inch cake pan with non-stick spray
- In a large bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, eggs, butter, sugar substitute, and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer until smooth and the sweetener has begun to melt, then set aside.¾ cup Pumpkin Puree, 3 Eggs, ¼ cup Butter, ½ cup Brown Sugar Substitute, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, protein powder, salt, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix to combine.1 ¼ cup Almond Flour, ¼ cup Low Carb Vanilla Protein Powder, ¼ teaspoon Salt, 2 teaspoon Baking Powder, 2 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
- Add half of the almond flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Stir until well combined, then repeat with the remaining almond flour mixture.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. Note: this cake batter is thicker than a traditional cake batter
- Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool for at least 15 minutes, then carefully turn it out onto your serving plate.
- While the cake is cooling, mix together the coconut milk, almond milk, and maple syrup in a measuring cup or small bowl.½ cup canned coconut milk, ½ cup Unsweetened Almond Milk, 3 tablespoon Sugar Free Maple Syrup
- Using a fork, poke holes all over the surface of the cake.
- Slowly and evenly, pour the milk mixture over the cake Pausing occasionally to allow the cake to absorb the liquid.
- Allow the cake to fully cool in the fridge.
- While the cake is chilling, prepare the whipped cream topping. Combine all the ingredients for the topping in a medium bowl. Using a hand mixer beat until stiff peaks form and the mixture has at least doubled in size.3 tablespoon Sugar Free Maple Syrup, ½ cup Heavy Whipping Cream, ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 3 tablespoon Powdered Sugar Substitute, ½ teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice, ½ teaspoon Xanthan Gum
- Once the cake has completely cooled, spread the whipped cream on top, sprinkle with additional pumpkin pie spice if desired, and enjoy!
Be sure to read the entire post for tips, tricks, and help troubleshooting.
The nutrition information listed here is only an estimate and is simply provided as a courtesy. It nor any other information within this post should constitute medical or nutritional advice. Be sure to read all packaging and ingredient labels for potential allergens. Optional ingredients are not included unless otherwise specified.
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